As I have cruised a lot of times with RCCL especially on their bigger ships we thought that Freedom class ships would be impossible to live up to,or how could they be better. Well when we got on board it was awe inspiring. Let me first ... Read More

As I have cruised a lot of times with RCCL especially on their bigger ships we thought that Freedom class ships would be impossible to live up to,or how could they be better. Well when we got on board it was awe inspiring. Let me first start with the process of getting aboard, it was so good and virtually hassle free. Then when we arrived on the Royal Promenade we could not beleive our eyes. it was so different than Freedom class I think a lot wider. We can all complain about statrooms/cabins but ours overlooking the Boardwalk was as good as anything else(inside)we have had. The food was second to none and the service on all parts of the ship was outstanding.We were very impressed with the standard of the diamond service on board thi new Genisis class ship. RCCL seem to have taken note of the fact that returning customers are just as important as new. The diamond concierge Ricardo was very helpful with any queries we had or. The diamond breakfast area which was part of one of the main dining rooms was also a great idea. The entertainment was exceptional,whether it was the Osmonds, or the Seventies party on the Royal Promenade. Oh yes and for Hairspray, the Aqua theatre and the Ice show I cannot even start to say how good these were. I cannot wait for Allore. Read Less

This was a trip for myself (19) my brother (32) and parents (52 and 55). Due to weather the trip was diverted from Western Caribbean to Eastern Caribbean. The Eastern Caribbean tended to be more for shopping and walking rather than the atv ... Read More

This was a trip for myself (19) my brother (32) and parents (52 and 55). Due to weather the trip was diverted from Western Caribbean to Eastern Caribbean. The Eastern Caribbean tended to be more for shopping and walking rather than the atv and zip lining we hoped for. However we still made the best out of it. There were a good number of shows that we attended as a family. Additionally we enjoyed the formal dinners. My mom is fairly picky and sometimes does not know what she orders. So when she ordered something and did not really enjoy it they replaced her dish with no problem which was a big relief. We made good use of the late night pizza eatery and ice cream shop. Since it was a family trip none of us really made use or visited the casino (more for fear of being lectured by our father). The highlight of the cruise was interacting with all the passengers and wonderful crew...not to mention the food! Read Less

Sailed on the Oasis of the Seas on December 14th-21st with a friend of mine and had a wonderful time. We booked a Grand Suite (Room 10654) on the 10th deck and the views as well as the cabin were fantastic. Our Cabin Steward, Albert was ... Read More

Sailed on the Oasis of the Seas on December 14th-21st with a friend of mine and had a wonderful time. We booked a Grand Suite (Room 10654) on the 10th deck and the views as well as the cabin were fantastic. Our Cabin Steward, Albert was great in making sure we had plenty of towels and the room was in good order each time we returned. Here's a breakdown of our experience.
Check-in/Departure: We arrived at the port at 12:30PM and checkin was a breeze. It literally took about 10 minutes to process our documentation and get our pictures taken. The only issue was that one of our suitcases wound up getting lost and we didn't receive it until about 8PM that night. Departure was also very quick even though we were among the last to leave the ship due to a late flight.
Meals: We had made reservations at Chops Grill, 150 Central Park and Izumi for this cruise and loved each of the venues with central park being our favorite. We had a six course meal at Central Park and each entrée was delicious. Having our own waiter was a nice touch and we both loved the 6 different salts that came with the bread. It was such a unique experience
Shows: We only saw two of the shows this trip however the Ice Show was fantastic. There was a guest artist and her rendition of Thumbalina using a sand etch-a-sketch was mesmerizing.
Drink package: We wound up getting the Premium drink package and thought that it was well worth the price. We're not big drinkers however it was nice to be able to order either a Pina Colada or Martini without having to worry about how much it cost.
Casino: This was a disappointment since we both liked to gamble and the Casino is rather large for a cruise ship. We play the penny slots and we were hard pressed to find any slots that really paid off. We gambled for the first 4 nights and gave up after that since it seemed the slots just weren't paying off. We like to watch others gamble and noted several other passengers that commented on the same thing (tight slots).
Concierge: This was our first experience using the concierge and we weren't overly impressed. Several of our friends had said that as Suite guests, we would be paid more attention however that simply didn't seem the case. The concierge lounge is wonderful and the happy hours from 5-7 were very nice just before going to dinner.
Overall we had a great time however I'm not sure if we will sail again with Royal Caribbean. At least not this class of ship. I think we will check out Regent or Norwegian for our next cruise and try something different. Read Less

This was our families first cruise together (my 4th, husbands 2nd). We could not have asked for a better vacation! Flew into town friday night, stayed at Fairfield Inn, very nice accommodations for an 8 hour rest. took the free shuttle ... Read More

This was our families first cruise together (my 4th, husbands 2nd). We could not have asked for a better vacation! Flew into town friday night, stayed at Fairfield Inn, very nice accommodations for an 8 hour rest. took the free shuttle from airport to hotel. Went to dinner at Rustic Inn Crab house for a fun and delicious dinner, though a bit of a wait and a bit pricey. Took for hire shuttle provided to the ship in the morning. The 3 kids, all early teens, went to the first meet and greet in the teen lounge before we even departed and we hardly saw them again…we had to threaten them to make them eat dinner with us! The flow rider, sport court and teen lounge kept them so busy with their many new friends all day we never had to entertain them at all. We booked a grand suite for us and a Boardwalk balcony for the kids…great decision! Perfect! The rooms were lovely and clean! We ate in the MDR 4 times, all were good, only great night was the second formal night, which is Lobster night, don't miss it! We loved Izumi (very good sashimi and rolls) and Giovannis table (awesome family style dishes, wait staff and food), liked 150 Central Park (food was great, set menu, high priced wine pairing). Kids loved Park Cafe for included fare food, and Sorrentos Pizza for late night pizza before bed. Windjammer was always too crowded and not very good. Access to the Concierge lounge was well worth the upgraded suite price…breakfast and lunch here were unmatched anywhere on the ship! And the Concierges, Allan and Charmaine, were positively lovely to us and our kids, always using all of our names and offering help with anything! My favorite bar was the wipeout bar on the 15th deck next to the Flow riders…the daytime Bartender Milward was my favorite staff member on the ship by far! He learned my name on the first day and greeted me every time I walked up with a big smile. We did the premium drink package for my husband and I and soda for the kids…the kids and I got our monies worth , not my husband who tired of drinking by day 5 (personal choice here, but I loved not thinking about if I would like the drink or if I really needed another, just ordered and moved on to the the fun stuff).
Excursions- didn't pre plan here so we found most to be booked up…at Nassau we got off the ship and found the guide for the one we wanted to do (Blue Lagoon), made a side deal with him and got it for half price. Blue Lagoon was okay (beautiful locale, but a money grab if you want to do anything but to sit in a lounge chair and look at the water) In St Thomas we took an open air taxi to Magans Bay…a beautiful place with amazing calm water, but it was packed with ten times too many people and awful food options. We left early and went back to town where we had one of our best meals at a hole in the wall called Greengos Cantina. Amazing mexican/caribbean food (the chicken is slow cooked and it tastes like heaven) Go here!!! In St Maarten we again found the excursions all booked so we walked into town and found a scuba shop called CDC (Caribbean Dive College PADI) and made a deal for a discovery dive for kids who have never scuba'd and husband and I who are certified. Half price of ship and better from what we heard. Great people! Dove an area were things have washed up from hurricanes and planted there (helicopters, airplanes, ship wrecks) awesome!!! Do this, even if you're not a diver, it's awesome!
Debarkation- carry your own luggage off! We went down at 6:15am and were one of the first 100 people off by 7am. So easy, and you don't have to pack and put your stuff out the night before! Get thru customs in 5 minutes. Then go spend the day in Florida (we did Gator Boys in the Everglades and lunch at Hollywood Beach, again on our own).
Sorry for the long review, but like I said this was our best vacation ever! Love Oasis of the Seas and Royal Caribbean! Cant wait to go back and do it again! Read Less

Our group of three couples all celebrating milestone anniversaries wanted to sail the Oasis as a destination cruise for all. We were not disappointed in the least with our choice. However the Oasis and her staff are currently enduring some ... Read More

Our group of three couples all celebrating milestone anniversaries wanted to sail the Oasis as a destination cruise for all. We were not disappointed in the least with our choice. However the Oasis and her staff are currently enduring some "growing pains" which we were well aware of as of the first evenings "my time dining". We were given a standing reservation throughout the cruise for 6:30pm in the Grand dining room, and we arrived the first night we waited a good half hour with many people running around with a worried look on their faces, they had us wait and eventually the maître de approached us an escorted us away to Izumi for a tepan dinner on RCI. It was their first evening opening the newly located Izumi, and we were dazzled by the chefs cooking show. The sashimi appetizer one of us got was too pretty not to take a pic of it.....we enjoyed lobster, filet, scallops....it was terrific. The next night we enjoyed Chops steakhouse, the service and food was incredible. They have a bacon appetizer that's as big as a New York strip steak, glazed and a half inch thick, it was awesome. Shrimp big enough to saddle and ride.....everyone was blown away by the food and service by Remmy. We all agreed that the healthy choices on this ship are amazing, with the Solarium bistro, and Park Café we never ate at Windjammer, that was a first for us. All the food served in the Solarium bistro is very healthy, low fat, low sugar and delicious. The roast beef sandwiches you hear about in Park Café are worthy of the hype. They also have made to order salads there that are very healthy as well. We enjoyed breakfasts there too. We tried Sabor for margaritas, chips and quac and loved it for the small fee charged. Promenade café offered sandwiches and desserts that were an easy choice for "fill ins".
We stayed in a central park balcony which was a new experience for us, our friends were across the hall in an ocean view. It was a nice change with our balcony hearing the birds, crickets and music while sitting out there people watching. I think for the price we'll get the ocean view balcony in the future as we had to be carful when getting dressed, rooms are just across the park. Our room configuration had the bed next to the closet which created some issues, it would be better with bed next to slider. Our cabin attendant was friendly and kept the room clean, however she was not real attentive to our needs....we kept having to ask her for wine glasses, at one point the half full bottle we on our counter with only one clean wine glass and she did not notice to leave us one more glass. It's a small thing but as the customer one appreciates not having to ask for these things, or go down to a bar to get them.
The entertainment on this ship is nothing short of amazing for it's choices and possabilities. There is no reason to get bored here. Dazzles, Scooner bar, boardwalk, Blaze, Jazz, the Rising tide bar.....it goes on and on. We hung out at the Solarium for pool time during the day, it was just perfect.....so many places to relax and enjoy the sun or shade. Many hot tubs and pools, all clean for the most part, later in the day one might call them "people soup"......but crew was always cleaning and taking away dishes and glasses. We felt the ship was overall understaffed, bars had two bartenders causing waits for drinks, but overall everyone was friendly and helpful. Our group was also offered to go to the Solarium bistro for dinner one night for free (normally $20 upcharge) just so we could give feedback. The food could not be faulted, but the servers had too many tables with no bus help, so service was slower.
It's difficult to address everything here, overall we were blown away with Oasis, her staff were friendly and helpful, there is so much to do and see one can't in a single week. The casino was busy, it was not giving away too much money but then one would not expect that. The "Cat's show was not seen by our group, it's a 2.5 hour ordeal and we did not want to be captive in the theater for that long, however we peaked in to see the costumes and sets, it looked cool. No body in our group purchased the drink package, I can't imagine drinking that much all week....drinks averaged $10 bucks each.
Have to say embarkation was the smoothest, fastest of any of our cruises to date.....we were on the ship within 20 minutes of arrival.....awesome. Debarkation was longer, as customs takes a long time to get so many people through. This is truly a "destination" ship so don't hesitate to try her. While they may be having some issues with the "dynamic dining" concept, I believe they are doing the steps needed to fine tune it....by March it should be fine. We finally were told that our time of 6:30pm did not work because by then they had no tables for a party of six.....we changed our time to 7:30pm by weeks end, wish someone had told us before then. We were not able to have our same wait staff only for two nights, but Herb and Hickem charmed their way into our hearts, and we tipped them accordingly, and Anna the supervisor was a joy, she sent us up to Solarium for free and was very interested in our experience. Thank you RCI for making our anniversary cruise memorable. Read Less

Went over New Years. The ship was packed for this premium cruise. Though it is such a large cruise ship, there was not enough space in the Windjammer, Comedy Club, etc, to allow all of the passengers to enjoy their experience. ... Read More

Went over New Years. The ship was packed for this premium cruise. Though it is such a large cruise ship, there was not enough space in the Windjammer, Comedy Club, etc, to allow all of the passengers to enjoy their experience. Giovanni's Table was superb. Had a large interior cabin which was more spacious than the regular sized interior cabin. Our room attendant was just status quo. There was some trash left on the floor of our room from the previous tenant. The whole ship was much hotter than was comfortable. Our room never fully kept us comfortable at night. Most nights we woke up with our pillows wet with sweat. One day our "new, clean" wash cloth had makeup and someone else's hair on it. Labadee was very disappointing. Had to get a sea tow back to shore when we went on the kayaking. Not told that two people had to share a kayak. Have been kayaking multiple times before, but this one was the most cramped and uncomfortable that we had ever experienced. Only had a few places to store valuables in lockers (for an additional charge). Other excursions were good. Read Less

SHIP: the ship is stunning and VERY clean. In fact, our rooms alone were cleaned at least twice a day. The pools are constantly being sanitized as well. One is saltwater. The other is regular with chlorine. There is lots to look at. The ... Read More

SHIP: the ship is stunning and VERY clean. In fact, our rooms alone were cleaned at least twice a day. The pools are constantly being sanitized as well. One is saltwater. The other is regular with chlorine. There is lots to look at. The royal promenade is full of places to shop and eat. It is basically like a mobile mall. Though the shops are very pricey, they're still nice to look at :p. The coolest thing about the ship is the water fountain that is also an elevator. The elevator takes you up to this glass enclosure where you can sit and drink. Its called the rising tide. I don't know if the water has anything to do with it but it gets really strong and shoots up to the ceiling and then the elevator comes down!! Rob Hempstead was our captain and he was amazing. We had no contact with him but the overhead announcements were something to look forward to. The ship sailed very smoothly. I barely felt it! There were times that it was a little rocky but the captain gave us a warning ahead of time. The ship is very family oriented like for older kids I would say like 10 and older roughly. There are classes for toddlers I think but their main focus is older ones. They do have a little water park for the little ones to splash around in and a 2ft pool for the older ones. They also have a whirlpool the kids can get it. Its cute! The top deck or the sports deck is full of things to do: table tennis, shuffleboard, basketball, flow rider, zip-line, rock climbing, mini golf, volleyball etc.. all free of charge. The only thing I didn't like was the fact that the whole thing closed so early. Basically as soon as it started getting dark.. I feel like thatd be the perfect place to be at night. There are select hot tubs open 24hours but warm at best. NOt very hot.
THE CABIN: your home away from home! I had an oceanview cabin which is TOTALLY worth it. It is worth the extra money or you will go stir crazy. There is a lot to do but its nice to be in your own space and get away from all of the chaos. HERE IS WHATS IMPORTANT FOR THE LADIES: There are plugs that have 3 and 4 spaces..no need to bring one that has three spaces to plug. And extension cords are not allowed. There is a small hair dryer in the cabin. I didn't try to use it. I brought my own. There is a mirror with lights to do makeup, hair etc. THERE ARE NO PLUGS INSIDE THE BATHROOM!...that sucked. However, there is a mirror in the bathroom as well. The shower is very small but it seemed to grow on me throughout the week. The water temperature is ideal. It can get very hot which I like. The other thing is you cannot have the bathroom door open when coming into your room. It blocks the entrance. There is a small refrigerator and they do stock it but for a charge and its very expensive LOL so don't drink it!! Please read before drinking. There is a safe in the room as well. We used it a lot. There is barely any instructions on it but you enter a 4 digit code and press pound. It will open. You enter the code again and it will close. Sometimes when it opens, it may not open enough to appear that it is. Pull on the door a little bit..i made that mistake :P. There is a small closet and shelves for storage. The bed is very comfortable as well. I thought it was memory foam but we looked and its a regular mattress and an egg crate. It was very inviting lol especially after a long night. There is a couch in the room as well. A tv which will you will be able to make purchases from and view your account. You also have channels to watch..some are cruiseline channels that will be port shopping guides and recorded game shows from the ship. They are great to watch! Do not touch the master switch or your AC will be turned off too.
DINING: FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT: You need to schedule your dining experience. We scheduled at 530pm but if you cant make it don't sweat it find somewhere else to eat. The places have different times they are open. There is a buffet in windjammer which is nice. My time dining is a sit down fancy dinner. They say casual dress ok but you really will feel out of place if not at least in a nice dress shirt for the ladies. A lot of guys wore suits but a nice button down shirt or shirt with a collar like a polo would be fine. There are two formal nights where there are photographers everywhere to take pictures with different backgrounds. They will then put your photos in a photobook at Focus where you can go and look, maybe even purchase. BRING ENOUGH DRESS CLOTHES!! I regret not bringing more. People pay big money to go to these "specialty dining" Honestly, its the same food, just a different look and more fancy looking. The only thing is that they may have some special dishes that are reserved for that restaurant. For example chops grille has a special dried steak that is 31 dollars. Theres izumi for sushi etc. But they have seafood in regular dining. They have escargot and crab cakes etc. The waiters are phenomenal and will ask you to try new things but they will not force you. It is a lot of the same thing every night but if you have a special request they may be able to alter some things. I didn't like the orange juice because it was way too fake tasting way too sweet. They mixed it with mango or something and it was wonderful. The only thing I didn't like was that they sat us in the same seat every night. We could have complained but I think it had something to do with the waiters. They really get to know you and your preferences. By the second or third day you wont even have to ask for what you like. Youll just get it.
Entertainment and Activities: I WILL Tell you what's worth it and whats not. We saw the show with Greg London. That was phenomenal. He was an impressionist and did performances from ray Charles, ZZ top, Ozzy Osborne, Johnny Cash etc.. That was a great time. We also saw Come Fly with me and the Aqua theatre show...both were pretty terrible. The actors are very talented gymnasts and divers. But the shows were like a free for all with some backgrounds. People just flipping and jumping etc. ...no real rhyme or reason. Idk I like shows that have a theme or a meaning to them. I walked into cats and thought they were zombie looking things so ..that was embarrassing..end of story. I thought it was some weird ritual thing on stage lol. Nope. CATS. I hear its amazing on broadway but people have walked out more than once on royal carribbean. We loved all of the game shows and watched/ participated in just about every one. We missed QUEST which is a must and is 18+ and is an adult scavenger hunt where they split you up in groups and ask you to find items on the people in your group (THis is how it was explained to us). We loved the comedy show. It is a must see. Make reservations for the comedy club instead of the theatre if you can. There is limited seating. We played lots of bingo which is minium 32 dollars for paper cards. Most people win on trackers which play for you and are 59 dollars for a winners pack which has paper also and pull tabs instant win game. We also loved the casino its pretty big and great for night life. Majority rules is a great time as well. These are some don't miss activities. I will not spoil the rest. You will get a daily guide in your room to the times and places of activities. Enjoy! There is not much night life just one club to go to.
Service: The service was excellent for the most part. I didn't enjoy the first day. It felt like a giant cluster fuck excuse my language and no one knew anything. Guest services was very helpful but a long line. They do not tell you this right away and this is important especially if you have kids. The seapass card can get scanned for a lot of things like arcade, casino games, etc . Lots of places do not take cash but rather your sea pass card.
Ports: LOTS OF PEOPLE HASSLING YOU FOR MONEY IF YOU WALK THE WRONG WAY>...Sometimes youre led right into it after an excursion or whatever. It sucks. Be strong and just walk away. they can get overbearing. I was satisified with the excursions I booked but many experienced cruisers say to book through like trip advisor etc. Id recommend for first time cruisers to stay with royal carribbean excursions. Bring small bills with you because people may not be so nice about giving you change and/or theyre unable and you will have to buy stuff to get change. There are lots of people working on tips so you need small bills to tip!
WE DID NOT TRAVEL WITH CHILDREN IT WAS OUR HONEYMOON! Read Less

we wanted to experience a mega ship so we chose Oasis of the seas.we were not disappointed. this ship for its size is so well layed out that not a lot of walking required to get from one area of entertainment to another' our cabin ... Read More

we wanted to experience a mega ship so we chose Oasis of the seas.we were not disappointed. this ship for its size is so well layed out that not a lot of walking required to get from one area of entertainment to another' our cabin was mid ship . The elevator was 4 doors down from our cabin. it took us down to center of ship where most of the venues are located.Centralpark twinkling lights in all the trees and music being played.Just lovely.Thereiwere not a lot of children on this date of cruise but an awful lot of activites for childrento do.idont think they would be bored.we felt getting on and off ship was easy well planned and efficient What surprised my husband and myself was how not crowded it felt with so many people on board. this was our 15th cruise and by far the most amazing experience we have had on a cruise ship Read Less

My wife and I have been on about 80 cruises over the years. We love the activities that are normally under the direction and scheduling of the Cruise Director. Their planning and enthusiasm was disappointing. One comedian with the same ... Read More

My wife and I have been on about 80 cruises over the years. We love the activities that are normally under the direction and scheduling of the Cruise Director. Their planning and enthusiasm was disappointing. One comedian with the same routine all week in a room that held about 125 people on a ship with 7000 passengers. No pre-diner music. Virtually nothing to do on board during port days. Many mistakes in daily schedule. Only one Prominade parade, and weak at that. No deck parties. No evening buffets. Lackluster 70's party with only 3 village People, and the sailor was female. "Seriously?" The showrooms are to small to accommodate more than a small percentage of the ships passengers, so reservations must be made. We had three shows cancelled and we were rescheduled but not informed. It was quite frustrating. As if the common areas were not small and crowded already, RC decided to bastardize their Viking Lounge to add even more rooms, as well as convert many, many storage rooms into small interior rooms Read Less

RCCL is our favorite cruiseline as they do whatever is necessary to provide a truly enjoyable vacation. Their staff is second to none in pleasing passengers. This ship we experienced some of the best in the dining room with an incredible ... Read More

RCCL is our favorite cruiseline as they do whatever is necessary to provide a truly enjoyable vacation. Their staff is second to none in pleasing passengers. This ship we experienced some of the best in the dining room with an incredible waiter Jordan and his assistant who was just as terrific. If you can't find something to do on this ship you can't be satisfied by anyone. We had a cabin overlooking Central Park. I would have preferred our usual outside cabin. We like looking at the ocean. Preferred location of a cabin is also closer to either end by elevators which cuts down on much of the walking. Food is prepared well but choices are more limited than in the past. Like everything they are trying to keep cost down by using cuts of mean and fish where the cost is less. They still maintain the high quality of desserts and breads that they've always had. Read Less

We chose this cruise because it was the 1st trip the Oasis took out of Port Canaveral. The ship is great with a lot to do but it is very crowded & there are lines for almost everything. The food was barely above average in the main ... Read More

We chose this cruise because it was the 1st trip the Oasis took out of Port Canaveral. The ship is great with a lot to do but it is very crowded & there are lines for almost everything. The food was barely above average in the main dining room & we were very disappointed. The staff was exceptional.My Time dining is not really My Time dining. If you don't make a reservation you will have a long wait until you get a table. While the rest of the staff on the ship all were very friendly & accommodating, the staff at the entrance to the dining room all seem to be aloof if you didn't already have a reservation. The wait staff though was excellent as was the staff that maintained the cabins. I wrote a long letter to corporate & am waiting for a response before I decide whether I will cruise with them again or not. Read Less

oasis-of-the-seas Nov 7th 2016. First cruise out of Port Canaveral for 8 days to Labadee, Jamaica, Costa Maya and Cozumel.
We had a great time in an oceanview balcony room on deck 11. We ate dinner in the main dining room twice, ... Read More

oasis-of-the-seas Nov 7th 2016. First cruise out of Port Canaveral for 8 days to Labadee, Jamaica, Costa Maya and Cozumel.
We had a great time in an oceanview balcony room on deck 11. We ate dinner in the main dining room twice, the Windjammer once and specialty restaurants the rest of the time. We did not prebuy a restaurant package because we hadon board credit to spend. Once on board they were selling 3 dinners for $90. We chose Giovanni's Table, Izumi and 150. Giovanni's was very good. We chose the Hibatchi dinner. Shrimp and beef combination was sensational. The 6 of us all agreed this was our best meal. 150 was a complete dissapointment. The beef rib tip was small and cooked like a roast with no sides. The waiter had bragged about the squash soup. It didn't live up to the hype. Desert was ok but didn't save the experience.
On Monday we were sitting in the promenade and were approached and offered a discount for the Solarium Bistro. First he offered 40% off. We hesitated and he went to 50% off plus he said we could get the lobster for free if we came on Tuesday which was the normal lobster night in the main dining room. Normally they get another $5 for the lobster. We agreed to purchase and go on Tuesday. I can say it was a great choice as the meal and experience was great.
All the shows were very good too. I am not too interested in sitting for 2.5 hours but I did it for CATS. I can't get excited about the story but every singer and dancer were quite good and in that context I enjoyed the show. The quality of entertainment justifies the premium the ship costs as well as the interest provided by the neighborhoods.
I had a personal priority to go to Sabor. We had experienced Sabor on Freedom of the Seas and it was so good we couldn't wait to go again. The menu on Oasis was not the full menu we had on Freedom. Instead of it being one price it was alacart. They treated this venue more like a place for a snack instead of a specialty restaurant. With all we did during the week, Sabor fell through the cracks. The smaller menu just wasn't as compelling to us. Read Less

We have cruised over 40 times, not all on RCL, however primarily on Royal... We are Diamond Plus and DH and I usually book a Jr. Suite which is what we did for this trip. I read that JS passengers are considered Sea Class and are ... Read More

We have cruised over 40 times, not all on RCL, however primarily on Royal... We are Diamond Plus and DH and I usually book a Jr. Suite which is what we did for this trip. I read that JS passengers are considered Sea Class and are eligible for dining in Coastal Kitchen. This is new since our last cruising so we decided to try it out. You can't just walk in and your sea pass card does not work, so we knocked. The hostess barely opened the door, didn't appear to want to admit us, even with a reservation.. Finally a gentleman came & opened the door. Food was excellent, ambiance was nice, however after the entrée was served no one came near our table. After finishing our meal and waiting 15-20 minutes we left. I complained & did get a call from manager (?) & he stated how sorry he was & could he send desserts to our stateroom. Too late.. If RCL does not want JS passengers to dine in Coastal Kitchen, then remove it from the list of perks. Bad experience..
We enjoy the shows on Oasis and the only one we do not attend is Cats, which we did not care for. Not a fun, upbeat show. Hard to follow or understand.
All in all, we enjoyed our 8 night cruise and yes we will go again, just not try to dine where not wanted or welcome.
Stateroom was nice, cabin attendant was attentive. Main dining staff was right on. Menu has changed and choices are fewer. No chilled soup every night as in past. My favorite..
Did not do any shore excursions since we have been to these ports several times in the past.
As every ship there are good points and not so good points. Read Less

Previous positive cruising with Royal Carribean, wanted to see and experience Oasis of the Seas, luxurious ship with many venues for entertainment, outstanding shows, multiple show dates and times, several included eateries, delicious food ... Read More

Previous positive cruising with Royal Carribean, wanted to see and experience Oasis of the Seas, luxurious ship with many venues for entertainment, outstanding shows, multiple show dates and times, several included eateries, delicious food with many entrees, appetizers, desserts, friendly, knowledgable, attentive crew, interesting ports of call, well planned shore excursions, variety of spa services, well equiped fitness center, several pools providing a meriad of activities, sports activities available such as rock climbing, basketball, ice skating, running track, zipline, wave rider, outdoor areas made us feel we were in a park or at a playground, smooth sailing without feeling like you were on the ocean, safe feeling in all areas at all times of the day or night, room service was fast and accurate, TV available with Dreamworks animation movies, TNT, TCM, TBS, Prime TV, Space, ESPN, CNN, HLN, on board TV channels showcasing whats happening on the ship, multilingual channels Read Less

We mostly chose the cruise because we had not yet been on the Oasis and Port Canaveral was convenient. Having read MANY Cruise Critic reviews we were concerned about the food and the crowds.
Firstly the food was much better than ... Read More

We mostly chose the cruise because we had not yet been on the Oasis and Port Canaveral was convenient. Having read MANY Cruise Critic reviews we were concerned about the food and the crowds.
Firstly the food was much better than expected. While mostly subjective, we have come to expect food that "is as good as you can get when serving 6000 passengers." We were pleasantly surprised particularly in the main dining room. The food was prepared well, served promptly and tasted better than we expected. We also ate at Chops and Giovanni's. Both were excellent as we have come to expect from the specialty venues. One dissapointment was Sabor. On the Freedom we had an outstanding experience at Sabor's but here on Oasis it was not as good. Some dishes were over done, others bland.
The ship's condition was excellent! It did not feel crowded at all. Even the elevator access and availability was good. My wife is in a wheelchair and this has been a serious concern in the past. But again, it was not an issue on Oasis at all.
The staff were all pleasant and professional. The entertainment was very good though we couldn't possibly see it all. Though special mention must be given to the Ice Show which was spectacular. Read Less

Royal gets great marks on quality of food, shows and the itinerary. The interior balcony was really nice and we truly enjoyed opening the balcony door and listening to the violinist and piano accompanist playing in the evenings in Central ... Read More

Royal gets great marks on quality of food, shows and the itinerary. The interior balcony was really nice and we truly enjoyed opening the balcony door and listening to the violinist and piano accompanist playing in the evenings in Central Park. Our stateroom attendant was fantastic and we enjoyed our the formal meals in the main dining room as well as the casual ones in the Windjammer.
Here's a few "disclaimers" or lessons we learned...
1. Be very careful of the internet access and carrier charges. I prepaid for the internet access on one device (not a cheap add on, even when paying before the cruise) and didn't immediately discover that RCI kicks you off the wifi if you aren't active on it for more than a few hours. My iPhone (and most smart phones) automatically reverts back to mobile data when not connected to wifi, which I didn't even realize was happening until I got the notification that I had incurred over $50 in international data charges. Now, before we left I had made sure we had the "Travel Pass" so not incur further data charges while out of the US. So I called Verizon, they walked me through shutting down the roaming data, but the damage was done and they took the time to nicely explain that Travel Pass doesn't work while you are on the cruise ship. These roaming charges are charged by RCI not Verizon, there was nothing Verizon could do to reverse them. I also spoke to RCI and they said that there is nothing they can do to reverse the charges either since it was not caused due to an interruption of their service. Wait, what?
2. Buyer beware... Either I'm a much more experienced shopper, or maybe it's because I was armed with my Amazon.com app, but I did note that there are far fewer deals than it seems like there's been in the past (both in port on on ship). Granted, at Cozumel, we were one of 4 cruise ships in port (more people = less deals), but in Costa Maya we were the only ship and the rain kept many passenger from disembarking. Still, for example, on advice from RCI's own shopping expert, I went into Diamonds International in Cozumel and played the bargaining game with the sales guy for a Phillip Stein watch. Best he could do on the watch and band (sold separately), including ship discounts, etc, was $474; I pulled up the exact same watch on Amazon brand new for $342 which included the band and free shipping. I didn't buy either, but it's nice to know the real score.
3. In this day and age, we are being "encouraged" to travel light. Discount airlines charge for checked bags and carry ons; plus have reduced weight limits for checked bags to 40 lbs. Be very careful of going over weight limits; 1-10 lbs over = another $30! Our 3 checked bags cost almost as much as the airfare.
4. The dress code for the main dining room is no longer enforced. I recall on my first cruise (1999?), my ex-husband was shunned for wearing a sport jacket on formal night! Although they may draw the line at PJs and bathing suits, the rules have relaxed to the point that hostesses and Maitre d's don't even bat an eye at the patons in shorts and flip flops . Call me old fashioned, but I still think it's fun to get all dressed up, spend extra time on hair, nails and make up and get those awesome pictures taken by the professionals. I hope people keep this tradition going even if it means paying for that extra suitcase. Read Less

We choose this cruise primarily for two reasons, Ist It was a retirement cruise and 2nd it was a class reunion cruise. We enjoyed the layout of the cruise ship (Oasis of the Seas), especially Central park, the jogging track, our balcony on ... Read More

We choose this cruise primarily for two reasons, Ist It was a retirement cruise and 2nd it was a class reunion cruise. We enjoyed the layout of the cruise ship (Oasis of the Seas), especially Central park, the jogging track, our balcony on our stateroom. The shows were fantastic and kept us entertained. Our waiter was awesome, he really made us feel at home with his down to earth hospitality.
My best excursion was in Labadee, Haiti at the Dragon Zip line. What a view of the ship from the platform, at first it took off slow , but midway the acceleration was intriguing. Our excursion at Falmouth, Jamaica Heritage Society was awesome, not only did we got our exercise for the day, but we enjoyed the history and sights of Falmouth, Jamaica. At Costa Maya, Mexico, our off-road jeep excursion was really great, navigating through the jungle and then taking a break to eat some Mexican cuisine was fantastic. Read Less

We booked this cruise on Royal Caribbean about a year ago. It was exciting to be on the Oasis out of its first sailing out of Port Canaveral. We were celebrating two birthdays and an anniversary. Our family gave us specialty restaurants ... Read More

We booked this cruise on Royal Caribbean about a year ago. It was exciting to be on the Oasis out of its first sailing out of Port Canaveral. We were celebrating two birthdays and an anniversary. Our family gave us specialty restaurants gifts and we enjoyed both - CHOPS was amazing.
Walking though Central Park was so enjoyable. We went to the Ice Show which was excellent. The shows were very good. The CATS performance was excellent but a bit too long. You really didn't feel like you were on with 6000+ passengers. There are enough activities that keep folks spread out.
Disembarkation was not the best for wheelchair folks. We waited hours and when we went off I could not see any problem and it was quick and efficient. We were the only wheelchair in line. Really poor communications were the only reason I could see for the delay. Read Less

As one who has been "loyal to royal" since the late 1970's, it has been wonderful to experience the innovative ships and amazing entertainment options. I have cruised on Oasis several times and my only disappointment is that ... Read More

As one who has been "loyal to royal" since the late 1970's, it has been wonderful to experience the innovative ships and amazing entertainment options. I have cruised on Oasis several times and my only disappointment is that due to the enormous expense, RCCL continues to run the same main program, Cats. Service on this cruise seemed even better than usual (which is already extremely accommodating), and even personality and demeanor of hotel desk personnel has improved dramatically, a great sign ! The cabin service ("D" on this cruise) was outstanding as usual, but "D" was the best of the best, cleaning the small areas usually overlooked (behind the couch, etc.). GREAT experience.
All shows were wonderful, not to be missed. Even those who usually would not be interested in an ice show should see this one, amazing, not just "a couple skaters" on a small patch of ice; this is a full scale ice show and you are much closer to the action than sitting in a large dome stadium. Come Fly with Me is a show bound to keep the attention of even the smallest cruiser, and though the "Headliner" shows on all RCCL ships can be hit and miss, this one was definitely a HIT. Not just a very good Elton John tribute performer, but the audience was in for quite a surprise with his guitar repertoire .. I'll say no more, you will be amazed at this talent ! Everyone should experience the Oasis class ships, couples, singles, families, there is so much to see and do you will wonder where the week went.
The low point was the food. Not that you are in danger to loosing weight, but the temptations are fewer on each cruise. Those who never cruised ten years ago, let alone 30 or more, even noticed "this was not what we expected after seeing and reading the RCCL ads".
While the emphasis on upcharge restaurants is now standard on all lines, RCCL hit a new low on this Oasis trip. For sometime the food selection, and most of all the QUALITY, has slipped with each cruise (4-6 a year), but hit an all time low on this cruise. The "dishes" offered in the buffet, especially at noon, but not much better in the evenings, were, to put it frankly (and since I have always been a huge RCCL fan this pains me !) just large pots of "slop". On two separate occasions I personally observed two deck officers (eating in the buffet) actually unable to disguise the looks on their faces as they attempted to find something inviting among the large pots of "dahl" (?), stews with fish, tomatoes, onions and other "ingredients", the pots of lentils (a staple now on the last 4 cruises) and other assorted curries. Usually the "saving grace" is the daily carving station, but not on this cruise. Unfortunately, the servers carving the daily offering had not had time to train in the proper was to carve (an even poor quality steam ship round of roast beef), so they simply took fork and knife and proceeded to "hack" at the beef ignoring the "grain" of the meat which could have helped make it palatable ! Even the quality of the once absolutely delicious roast beef sandwiches in Central Park has hit a new low; once medium rare, high quality, and DELICIOUS, the "beef" has changed to a much less tender cut, is very well done, and now has a strangely "greasy" and strong taste (tried it several days, not just once, but the sandwiches were no better. If any of you remember the wonderful Italian Deli at the pizza restaurant on the promenade, it's been gone for some time now ! No more of the wonderful and inviting sides in the display at the front; it's now a bar. The pizza's, once laden with all kinds of "goodies", now do not necessarily have one slice of pepperoni on each slice; though if you go at the right time, they still offer the "make your own" with no options any more for mushrooms or sausage. Things change.
Trying to avoid to all and just eat healthy choices does not seem to work either; head for the large pot of "steamed vegetables" and with one bite and the taste of salt is so strong it is almost impossible to enjoy. This seems very strange as the vegetable selection never changes; always the same broccoli, carrot, cauliflower blend most of us buy in large plastic bags at any grocery so what do they do to make them taste like pure salt ? Soups ? Pretty much large pots of salt water with various ingredients.
Main dining room was "hit and miss", boring menu with some highlights, really miss small things like fresh ground pepper, real maple syrup, an assistant waiter separating the VERY stubborn shells from your lobster, things you get at any mid quality hotel or resort. But, a cruise is what you make of it.
Ports of Costa Maya and Falmouth, once ports I avoided, have really gone all out to create a beautiful, relaxed, atmosphere in the terminal compound areas. Obviously, US investors such as Margaritaville have given a huge boost to these once less appealing ports, although the guided trolley ride from the terminal, though the gates, and into the "real" Jamaica is an eye opener and well worth an hour or so of you time. Just having the opportunity to see, tour, and photograph the original Anglican church is worth the price, and the young tour guides are exceptionally well informed, warm, and very willing to give you deep insight into the history of their country, and even show you their newly established college of tourism to give young adults a more career choices. I have been to Jamaica and done the traditional falls trips, inclusive beach resort days, but so happy I took this opportunity to take the simple "trolley" ride through Falmouth where I learned more than I had on several previous visits. Read Less

From the moment we arrived at Port Canaveral, to getting off the bus at the airport in Orlando to go home, we had a great experience! The ship has so many restaurants, bars, dance venues & shops, but it's the activities & ... Read More

From the moment we arrived at Port Canaveral, to getting off the bus at the airport in Orlando to go home, we had a great experience! The ship has so many restaurants, bars, dance venues & shops, but it's the activities & shows that really set it apart from the masses! We went to see the headliner comedian who was great, the ice show was really well done & the water show at the back of the ship was amazing! The entertainer in the British pub played all the right tunes! Then of course there's the Wave Rider, the climbing walls, the zip line & mini golf. The room attendant was great, the dinning room staff were friendly & efficient, it was all fabulous!
The cabin was well designed with little cupboards everywhere to put your stuff. We had an inside balcony overlooking Central Park. We enjoyed coffee every morning on the balcony listening to the sounds of the birds & soaking up the gardens below. Oh, I almost forgot the running track, perfect!
I can't imagine choosing a different ship in the future! Read Less

We chose this cruise because it had 4 different ports of call, and also because since it left from Port Canaveral we were close to Disney and Universal to round out our vacation.
Our favorite parts of the cruise itself: Awesome ... Read More

We chose this cruise because it had 4 different ports of call, and also because since it left from Port Canaveral we were close to Disney and Universal to round out our vacation.
Our favorite parts of the cruise itself: Awesome entertainment including Cats, Come Fly With Me, and the ice skating show, the shore excursions, and the level of attention and care from our stateroom attendant and waiters.
We booked all our shore excursions through Royal Caribbean, and truly enjoyed each of them. The Chacchoben Mayan Ruins in Puerto Costa Maya and the Mayan Ruins and Island Overview in Cozumel were especially excellent. I got great pictures and really felt connected to ancient Mayan culture, and the chocolate factory in Cozumel was a fun, delicious learning experience.
We went to Chops, Giovanni's and the Solarium Bistro, and while they were good for the most part, the service, food, and experience did not justify the bill. We actually cancelled our 4th reservation to dine in the Main Dining Room, as that was a more enjoyable experience for us on all levels.
There were lots of activities onboard, but one thing I wish there would have been were complimentary cultural enrichment experiences. It felt like most of the seminars were based on shopping or a push to buy spa treatments.
We did have fun with the table tennis and mini golf, and watching people on the Flowrider. Central Park was our favorite "neighborhood" on the ship. We went there every day to enjoy the ambience and have a light breakfast or snack at the Park Café. Read Less

This is 3rd time have sailed Oasis of Seas, and will not do it again. Only reason I rated average is due to ship design which is very good. We have over 45 cruises total and have recently sailed MSSC Divina, Norwegian Escape, and ... Read More

This is 3rd time have sailed Oasis of Seas, and will not do it again. Only reason I rated average is due to ship design which is very good. We have over 45 cruises total and have recently sailed MSSC Divina, Norwegian Escape, and Carnival Magic, all better than Oasis.
The only other positive comment from us is on the room service which was very good. However, in several cases furniture is significantly worn, see arms of chairs and couches, even in Diamond lounge. Attention to detail by crew is questionable, I pointed out to one officer that an emergency exit had been blocked for several days.
Food has taken a major step down with both beef and seafood dishes fair to poor. Deserts are especially poor. Variety in secondary food offerings is non existent, same every day. It was clear that the waiters were overworked. Little things like offering shredded cheese, ground pepper, and help with lobsters are no longer done.
Some entertainment is good, but difficult to schedule, Some venues and times are booked up weeks in advance of cruise. Some items, such as the comedy aqua show are held only once, such that many who would like to attend cannot. The one comedian performed all week long with very little variety. Our ice show was canceled such that we had 2 nights with no significant entertainment scheduled. All entertainment fills up fast.
If RCL spent as much effort on service and entertainment as they did sales in the promenade it would have been much more enjoyable.
Port of St Thomas was very disappointing. Instead of the normal port, ship moored on other side at what appeared to be an industrial area - we moored next to 2 dry-docks.
Disembarking took much too long, although this may have been a customs issue, only 7 agents for 6,000 passengers.
Bottom line - of the 5 couples at our table 4 had cruised Oasis previously and all 4 said they would not sail this ship again. This same sentiment was heard form many of the previous cruisers. Read Less

While I am a seasoned cruiser, this was my first RCI experience. My usual choices are Oceania and Windstar and while those lines have much smaller ships, my issues with Oasis were not necessarily based on its size, rather on the service.
... Read More

While I am a seasoned cruiser, this was my first RCI experience. My usual choices are Oceania and Windstar and while those lines have much smaller ships, my issues with Oasis were not necessarily based on its size, rather on the service.
Cabin Housekeeping. There was not one day that the room was cleaned and stocked properly. Every day a call had to be made for glass ware, towels, the daily calendar, more room service hang tags, etc. I have no idea what we were missing that we didn't know to expect (ice, pen, paper to write notes). Usually when we called for supplies we got them promptly, but once there was no answer and once the attendant told me he would get me drinking glass in 20 minutes. It took much longer.
Food Service. Our dinner service in the main dining room was flawless. Service and food were want we expected. Service and food in other venues less so. Food was frequently not hot when it should be and not cold when it should be. Tables were not bussed promptly causing people to mill around with trays of food looking at empty tables piled high with dirty dishes. The Solarium area is for 16+ patrons but was frequently occupied by toddlers with their parents. The staff did nothing to enforce the adult only policy.
Entertainment. Best I have ever seen on a cruise ship, hands down. Really, really good, and lots of choices!
Smoking. Allowed in several areas of the ship, and while not allowed in staterooms or balaconys, expect to smell cigarette smoke where it isn't permitted.
Lines. There are many, it's a fact of life on a ship this size. If you have trouble standing for more than 10 minutes consider joining the ranks of the scooter people. An estimated 10% of the passengers on this cruise used them! Read Less